[dns-wg] Re: ORSN-SERVERS.NET

On Wed, 13 Oct 2004, Stephane Bortzmeyer wrote:

> On Wed, Oct 13, 2004 at 10:28:57AM +0200,
>  Roy Arends <roy at dnss.ec> wrote
>  a message of 19 lines which said:
>
> > Please read RFC 2826
>
> Please read about ORSN
> (http://european.nl.orsn.net/faq.php#opmode). ORSN is *not* an
> alternative root.

I did.

It is an alternative root, since it is not sanctioned nor supported
by ICANN.

The main reason for the ORSN is outlined in the about page at their site.
IMHO, their reasons (a lesser dependency on non-european instances of
authoritative root-servers, but correct me if I'm wrong) are less valid
nowadays, since some of the ICANN root-server operators chose to use
anycast as a viable means to spread the load on the root-zone.

f.root-servers.net: 26 sites, (5 in EU, 4 in US)
i.root-servers.net: 17 sites, (11 in EU, 2 in US)
j.root-servers.net: 13 sites, (3 in EU, 7 in US)
k.root-servers.net: 6 sites, (5 in EU and 1 in Qatar)
m.root-servers.net: 3 sites, (1 in EU)
The rest of roots: 11 sites in US.

In total 76 instances of a root-server of which are 25 in the
EU, 26 in the US, and 50 outside EU/US.

And this network is growing and growing.

I can recommend any organisation who has the resources (skill and
infrastructure) that would like to help to spread the load of the
root-servers to contact the anycast-enabled root operators (ISC,
Autonomica/Nordunet, RIPE).

In comparison, there are 13 ORSN servers based in europe, of which are 2
unused, and 1 has errors.

I do understand the effort ORSN is trying to make. If it is to spread load
and create less dependency, they are obviously not up to par with the
ICANN root-server network. If they effort is merely a political protest,
that is a different layer I know nothing about.

Roy